Heck, I had a similar toy myself in the early 1960s when I was no older than the kid in the video. It was called Pop-Z-Ball (can't find it on the web).

You'd put the plastic ball in, the sensor would detect it and the spring-powered crank motor would start to pull back and "pop" the ball. I'd crawl across the room after it each time in my one piece pajama zip-up suit and do it over and over.

I rember this in such detail because I actually have home movies of me playing with it thusly one Christmas. There will be no uploading.

Trust me, tragic is not having a dog to play it with and do the fetching instead of you.

I built the ball machine because I thought my dog Jerry, might like it and that it would be something fun for me to build. So after two years of on and off work, with many safety features such as IR proximity sensors to protect Jerry and my son from the machine, I finally complete.

Far from being a replacement for me, I was always right there with him enjoying his fun. And with all the troubles that I went through to build the ball machine, I still end up throwing more balls than that the machine could count! According to the computer, he played with the machine by himself only 3 times in his life.

I recently put this video on YouTube to keep alive my earlier memories of him and (hopefully) provide some "humorous distractions" for anyone that might drop by.

Please enjoy the video.

All dog lovers recognize it is not a replacement for human or other doggie interaction.

That is in no way tragic unless the cute doggie's owner has no friends and has to build machines instead. If that is the case, well, that is sad and tragic.

Also, I cannot take it anymore. I am trying to find an althouse post about an artist that drew his/her doctor's office or a waiting room outside at a pharmacist. Am I dreaming this? Did such a link to such an artist exist.

Definitely cool. I suspected, and the note from the engineer confirms, that the point of the machine was not to be a replacement for the person, but to be used with the person. I mean, if you build something that fun, you're going to want to watch it being used (and maybe videotape it).

It's definitely a typical guy because-I-can project, not one with an actual point or objective or anything.

"Watching John with the machine it was suddenly so clear. The Terminator would never stop. It would never leave him, never hit him... never shout at him or get drunk and hit him... or say it was too busy to spend time with him. It would always be there and it would die to protect him. Of all the would-be fathers who came and went over the years... this thing, this machine... was the only one who measured up." Sarah Connor, TII.

The only time I saw a dog eat shit was a female dog eating her puppie's newborn scat. It was pretty disgusting, but I can imagine eating a stranger's scat is even more so. Suddenly I'm thinking of "2 girls 1 cup"....

Tragic ... if you think this is a replacement for outdoor play with a real person. Oh geez, I hope this isn't serious.

Might as well say it is tragic that instead of letting the poor Dachshund flush out rabbits, it is reduced to chasing a tennis ball. I mean, given the preference of chasing a ball with a person, or killing a rabbit; I'm certain the Dachshund rather kill a rabbit. Yet, the owner gives it a tennis ball. And now worse, it gives the dog an automated ball thrower.

Next, the owner might give the dog a bowl of food and water, thus totally negating the dog's desire to track, hunt, and kill.

Put me in the column of cool, just like the dog thinks the tennis ball and free food is cool.

Someone sent this to me a while ago and I think it is cool; the dog clearly loves it. I have a dog that loves fetch as much as this dog and we would both appreciate this device! I can't sit in the living room unless I am prepared to throw his toy. We play every night for hours and it isn't tragic that I would like an occasional break from throwing the toy (such as the past few days, when I have had a severe toothache).